As IKEA City opens its doors, new research from online auction marketplace Auctionet and Censuswide reveals the emotional highs and lows of Britain’s relationship with IKEA – from flatpack-induced fallouts to surprising sentimental attachments.
Flatpack fallout
Nearly a third (29%) of Brits have fallen out with someone while assembling flatpack furniture together, rising to 36% of Millennials and 33% of Gen Z. Even more striking, 29% say that assembling flatpacks has put more strain on their relationship than having children. Many consumers are ready to pay or run from flatpacks, with over a third (35%) saying they would pay someone else to do the assembly, and the same proportion saying they always get someone else to do it for them.
IKEA: more than just furniture
Despite this, nearly 1 in 4 (22%) have spent over £1,000 in IKEA over their lifetime, and the average Brit has spent £652 on IKEA furniture – and the odd hotdog! – with 57% saying they’ve turned to the brand for particular life moments like their first home, or decking out their student digs. In fact, the average Brit says one fifth of their home is made up of IKEA furniture and this increases a quarter of the average Millennials’ home.
IKEA is officially vintage
43% of Brits say IKEA holds emotional value for them, while 57% believe IKEA never goes out of fashion – peaking at 66% among Millennials. Nostalgia runs so deep that 34% of those surveyed say they would buy rare or discontinued IKEA items at auction, rising to 55% of 25–34-year-olds, and a further 32% of people consider IKEA to be collectible.
Largest ever collection of IKEA items and collectibles made available for purchase
Like it or loathe it, IKEA has stood the test of time. As many as 46% believe their IKEA items have become more valuable to them over time. For those looking to extend their IKEA collections, Auctionet is holding an IKEA through history auction featuring over 200 lots, from its earliest days right up to the present. Including iconic pieces from each decade, as well as some of the brand’s rarest and most elusive creations like the “Holken” hanging chair, meant to be suspended from a tree during the wild, nature-loving 1970s, it represents one of the biggest collections of IKEA history.
The Meatball Effect
One in five Brits (20%) ranks IKEA’s iconic Swedish meatballs as their favourite part of the IKEA experience, proving that it’s not just flatpacks that keep customers coming back. The same proportion of shoppers admit they have eaten at the IKEA cafe without buying anything else and 1 in 10 even say they have made the trip to IKEA just for the meatballs alone.
“As IKEA’s Oxford Street flagship opens its doors, there’s never been a better moment to reflect on how the Swedish giant has shaped our homes and lives,” comments Andreas Siesing, one of Sweden’s leading design historians and Auctionet’s in-house IKEA and interiors expert. “IKEA isn’t just a shopping destination, it’s a rite of passage, a relationship stress-test, a cultural institution, and even a source of culinary delight. As Brits continue to seek out timeless, quality design, IKEA is far from disposable – we’re seeing increasing interest in IKEA’s early collections that are now coveted by collectors.”
Other interesting statistics include:
- 22% of people admit getting lost in the IKEA store layout.
- 10% of people have visited IKEA more than one time in the same week!
- 42% of people who have bought from IKEA say that up to 10% of their home furnishings are from there, nearly a third (31%) say that 11 – 24% of their home is IKEA and 17% say that between 25 and 49% of their home furnishings are from IKEA.
- The BILLY Bookcase, the meatballs and the HEMNES shoe cabinet are the top three IKEA items consumers rank most highly.
